


A Flower from across the Sea

by nursi



Category: The Dark Crystal (1982), The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Divergence - No Garthim Wars, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Religious Fanaticism, did i just create elaborate au just to enable my ungira buffonery?, what if everyone listened to skeksil that one time, yes i did i quite enjoy it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:07:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25782628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nursi/pseuds/nursi
Summary: For the first time in her life Kira left all the worries behind and ventured with the boy she barely knew. Into the unknown they went across the war-torn land, to the Castle of the Crystal. The Skeksis are mysterious, their ways are obscure. To visit them unwelcomed is to breach a taboo. Yet, the Lords are merciful.
Relationships: Kira & skekSil (Dark Crystal), skekSil/skekUng (Dark Crystal), skekUng/Kira (Dark Crystal)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

Kira is a smart girl. Surely, when you live in the company of peaceful Podlings, it’s not surprising that sooner or later the word about your wit (mostly comprised of survival skills, some luck and partly own mental capacities) would spread around. It’s only a matter of time then when everyone you know (and don’t know but at least remember the correct name of) starts asking all kind of questions and proclaims you ‘the smart one’. And when you’re smart, you somehow get the strange sensation that the dagger, humbly hidden in the layers of one’s sleeve, is not a good sign.

In the circle formed by the Lords of the Crystal, whose large jaws clanged and rumbled, whose words, growled in a common language, sounded unfamiliar, Kira wanted nothing else but to leave. She’s never seen Skeksis before, let alone a dozen. She was never _supposed_ to see one.

The unbearable cacophony of sounds and voices rose with every second to the point when the gelfling could have sworn it started blinding her. And then everything stopped.

The waves danced before the eyes - scarlet, blue, ocher, turquoise fabrics, they hovered over the lone figure for the split of second and swallowed her. The wavering ‘current’ carried her away from the hall, along the castle corridors, into the unknown. Kira tried to resist, to push herself into the fresh air, but silks wrapped tightly around her.

“Please let me out, I beg you, I beg you”, she cried, feeling the firm grasp of suffocation clutching the neck. The mouth opened vigorously, seeking salvation, but there was no room left in lungs - a thick, heavy fear filled them to the brim. The mind submerged in the thick layer of darkness and surfaced only when the chill dampness of the dungeon filled the nostrils. The eyes slowly adjusted to the dusk to find that it occupied room’s every last corner, to one of which the captive was dragged.

She couldn’t see the Skeksis that brought her here, neither did he break the silence to make himself known. Only while pushing her into the cell, he grumbled something below his breath – more of an expression of discontent rather than direct threat and left, slamming the bars. Kira was left alone.

When the echo of footsteps died in the distance, she grabbed ice-cold poles almost instinctively and pulled them – they trembled but endured the fierce attack. She turned around but even with her meager complexion that was no easy task. The walls hunched over and gave no freedom of action, pressuring her into the obedience from all sides. The musty air of the basement didn’t help - it was soaked through and through with dust, and if one was to sit down on the floor and put their face to it, the breath would be as abrupt and heavy as if they managed to climb to the highest point near the ceiling. However, mounting was not a viable option - no windows were to be seen in reachable radius. Digging the shaft wouldn’t help either - the cobblestone that made up the walls was rough and plastered with small dents, to which the nails would break in no time without fetching a single splinter.

She stumbled in her place, shaking violently. The Skeksis were merciful after all, everyone said that in the village. So, what if a few wandering travelers decided to pay them a visit? Breaking a taboo. Committing a blasphemy. She should have warned Jen, should have told him. She had no privilege of his blissful ignorance.

Did she not venture a lot? Hunting around the village sufficed her; it was always enough, at least for stocking up supplies. Surely, the sudden thought of moving closer to the sea, visiting yet uncovered wilds, even seeking her own kind, it did cross her mind occasionally and left as swiftly – she was always a responsible one. She had to be. Because in the end of the day, it didn’t matter how far she wanted to go as long as the loot she brought back to share could justify it.

Tears clenched the throat, but crying would mean defeat, and so far, Kira could not accept it. Stepping back, she, as far as the limited space allowed her, charged forward and immediately regretted it. Not only did the impact hurt the shoulder, but the bars shook with such intensity that the castle might as well have quaked with them. She bolted back to the shadows of the corner fearing of what’s to come and at the same time, unable to endure the uncertainty hanging over her fate any longer. Her heart craved a quick, albeit deadly, salvation. However, no one showed up. The Skeksis did not appear even after an hour, and after two – the sparse rays of the Great Sun on the floor marked the passage of time.

Hours and days could have passed - huddled in a ball, Kira was exhausted from dehydration and had difficulty thinking. The coolness of the catacombs finally overwhelmed her and clung painfully to the toes that languished with convulsions; the stomach ached, growling with disdain. From time to time she closed her eyes embracing the depths of daydreaming and woke up, unable to tell if she was asleep in the first place.

It was on one of these awakenings that a far-off voice caught her off guard. Only when it repeated “Gelfling,” she finally fell out of a slumber.

“Gelfling.”

No response.

The voice did not call for her again. Instead, the rustle staggered towards the cell growing with every step and suddenly ceased, as the shadow finally emerged on the other side. It seemed to be the Skeksis that captured them in the first place, whose lumbering body was now securely covered in many layers of refined clothing.

“Ge-e-elfling.”

Again, silence.

“Greetings. SkekSil, my name. The Chamberlain,” he remarked rather proudly but Kira paid no mind to it as she couldn’t even remotely fathom what that meant. With not much else to do he coughed awkwardly and continued. “You will come with me”.

“To kill?”

“Oh, by the Crystal, no!” his hands quivered lightly, as if the topic were such a triviality as the weather. “Oh, no, Gelfling, we have other plans. Come,” the Lord beckoned, opening the cell’s lock. “Come, come,” the hand waved again, as if that was supposed to boost her confidence.

The chamber seemed to have granted her all sorts of amusement it could, so Kira obliged.

As they walked along the hallways, her legs felt frail, shuddering constantly, which made her walk cycle resemble the one of new companion. He rushed ahead of her nimbly, although there seemed to be a slight restraint in his movement. He also tended to wiggle his head a lot, which coupled up with the previous notions, reminded her of a slithering snake.

Kira tried to take notice of the new environments, yet there were new for a reason. For, when you happen to be lost in the wilds, there are paths to find the way back. On the unknown territory she marked the trees with a pocketknife (but only so deep that it wouldn’t hurt them), the ground, moist after the rain, kept a track of anyone who was reckless enough to step into the fresh mud and the moss, that only grew on particular sides of the trees, told the directions. There happened to be a familiarity in nature, the pattern that the Thra herself lend to assist her children. But in the castle sets of landscapes kept changing and piling up with nothing to compare them with and soon became a tangled mess of alien visuals.

To think of it, Skeksis have always been kind of alien.

The Pod People from her village enjoyed a simple life, devoid of patron entities and the need to participate in foreign affairs, seeing as the location was too far removed for anyone to care. They were used to and quite satisfied with the lone existence with no frequent (but not unwelcome) intervention from any of the higher folks. Still, the Podlings cherished the ways of Thra. Therefore, the ways of the Crystal and therefore, the ways of Lords. Skeksis’ names were never glorified or let alone pronounced but Ydra made sure her daughter knew that even if the particular idol was not worshipped, it did not mean that the said idol should be stripped of a certain degree of respect. And like everyone else Kira treated their distant presence with cautious apprehension never preying nor mentioning them in vain.

The fingers ran against the folds of the dress, yet nothing hid between them. Careful glance at the floor – as expected of the Lords, not a single shard of stone and nothing to protect herself with if the situation happened to escalate.

The procession turned around a couple more corners and finally reached the grand door, passing which, they found themselves in a spacious room, divided into several segments. If Kira had been raised by a Gelfling family, she would have known for a fact that a prime counselor of the Emperor tended to read and that the ominous hulking mass that engulfed all of the shelves and most of the surfaces was his collection of books. However, her upbringing was in the hands of Podlings, who had neither written speech, nor unnecessary decorative elements, so the writings were defined for now as "things".

All kinds of sofas, various couches with ottomans, secretaries and sideboards made of most expensive woods scattered across the chamber in such a disarray that the negligence for the styling seemed almost impudent.

“Even the Elders don’t have those,” guest thought to herself.

But before all, she was struck by the bed - stately, with canopies on the top, hung with elaborate curtains. On the floor, the patterns on carpets blazed rich in color like the field of poisonous flowers, captivating, mesmerizing. The whole room, simply put, breathed with luxury.

While the girl was looking around dumbfoundedly, skekSil approached the table and, adding a couple of touches, with a satisfied sigh sank into the chair opposing her. Feeling an expectant look on herself, Kira turned around and froze.

There were about a dozen different dishes on the tablecloth - both in size and complexity. All sorts of delicacies from familiar and not so familiar products steamed on the plates, emitting clouds of pleasantly smelling dense vapor.

“Sit down, Gelfling, mmm,” he drawled. “Eat, the gelflings need to eat, yes. The Chamberlain is a friend, he will not harm, mmm.”

Squeezing the stomach before it could treacherously rumble, she followed the order.

“The food is delicious,” he smiled, chopping off a healthy piece from the baked leg of some beast. “Not poisonous! Eat!”

Skeksis definitely wanted something - why would the Lord of the Crystal offer stranger a meal in his private chambers? But no matter how much the voice of reason called for her, the food looked truly delicious and smelled so sweet that the mouth was instantly filled with viscous saliva.

With trembling hands, she took a piece of fried nebrie meat and, making more effort over the body than over the will, bit. And then again and again. Gathering up the pace, she ate like for the last time, almost forcibly pushing food into herself. Tears of pleasure deluged the senses and all the flavors of this grotesque ambrosia, saturating the food. Like a bird of prey, Kira gnawed at the food, like she would never have allowed herself before, completely oblivious to the ever wider spreading smile of skekSil.

When hunger gave way to contentment, and it was a turn for some dessert, she spoke again.

“Will you punish me?”

For a brief moment his eyes narrowed, studying her face.

“Why would a Skeksis do that?”

“Because…” she paused, looking for the right words. “Because I breached the taboo, my Lord. Podlings… and Gelflings are only mere, they do not know the ways of Thra and the Crystal. The legends sing even of one being blinded in their search for the knowledge.”

A bit of truth, some prudence and whole lot of adulation.

“But Skeksis would not hurt the lost gelfling.”

“I’m not… familiar with the ways of the Lords.”

While she spoke, her gaze wandered across the table, noticing the intricate cutlery. Small but quite sharp. SkekSil, apparently, was perfectly aware of her intentions and at the same time behaved suspiciously serene.

“The Skeksis guard the Crystal and the Thra. Beyond petty squabbling. But not beyond friends, Skeksis value friendship.”

Something in the way he expressed himself seemed disingenuous and the warmth of the smile could not distract from the detachment that the greens of his eyes glimmered with. Hopefully, just a reflection of the table silver.

“Skeksis will not punish gelfling. Oh no, the contrary. Will show her the way. Will guide her. Will make her Al Maudra.”

Kira didn’t know the meaning of the title, but the reverence with which he purred the word, she, to her shame, quite adored.

“Al-Maudra?”

He eyed her again. No astonishment in his stare, only meticulous calculation. Obligatory smile.

“Well, of course. Al Maudra. The ruler of all. The great honor.”

“Like the Skeksis?”

“Oh no! The Skeksis are the Lords of the Crystal and the Thra. They are above all. But Maudra cares for all, she helps!”

“And serves Skeksis?”

“All on Thra serves the Crystal, the Skeksis are its will. Gelflings have always obeyed the Crystal.”

Seeing the seeds of doubts still growing in her stance, he continued.

“Of course, the gelfling can say no. Can fly home.” her wings twitched in unease. “The palace, plenty of food, adoration - it's not for her. No hunger or disease. No fear.”

Her gaze has now long turned from the cutlery to the feet –small, dirty from swamp soil, bare. Cold.

“Why would you do this?”

“Because to mercy there is a price of devotion. And Skeksis are merciful.”


	2. Chapter 2

SkekUng was just about to get back to work when he heard the sudden knock come on the door. The Great Conjunction, aside from intervention of a couple of Gelflings, proved to be a success, and for the next millennium he and his congeners didn’t have to worry about survival. Moreover, a sumptuous dessert awaited him - this realization brought the monarch a special pleasure. And just when he licked his lips in anticipation, some idiot simply had to disturb him.

“Come in,” he growled back.

“Sire,” an unpleasant voice called immediately after. SkekSil, who else.

“What do you want?”

“Oh, I just wanted to congratulate my venerable Emperor on the beginning of a new Era,” a hunched figure finally appeared and bowed to him.

“I have things to do.”

The statement somewhat true. He indeed had things to do. Ever since skekSo’s… departure, a lot needed to be taken under his own meticulous control, their hierarchal consistency and foreign affairs in particular. Though to be fair, he had no intention to deal with any of the listed, not on this evening at least.

“Oh, well, I'm sure the Emperor will have a moment to taste the refined mead that I have selected just for him.”

“Should have said so right away,” skekUng smiled and strode to a small sideboard in the corner, remembering to cast sidelong glances from behind - just in case. While he was fishing out the glasses, skekSil turned his head to the empty plates on the trolley - as planned, the Emperor had already dined, and therefore, the subsequent conversation would be easier to carry out. Soon after, the bottleneck rattled against the glass making a peculiar gurgling sound.

“For us,” SkekUng raised his cup filled to the brim.

“For us,” SkekSil repeated with his much smaller dose.

Taking a couple of sips, Chamberlain stroke his tongue against the palate, savoring subtle aftertaste. SkekUng, in his turn, swallowed all in one sitting. He then wiped the glass walls clean, ruffled up with a light cackle and strolled to his favorite sofa. SkekSil took this as an invitation. He did not sit down however, preferring to have a visible advantage at least in something.

“It seems you've already put on your old rags”.

“Only thanks to you,” counsellor replied with slight bitterness. His interlocutor did not seem to pay mind to it, however. “So, my Emperor, I thought we could discuss something important.”

“You and your matters again,” the hand waved lazily.

“It regards our… visitors.”

“Is something wrong?” he got up to advisor’s immediate gesturing that meant, “everything is under control”, which soothed the ruler a little, but the contempt in his eyes remained.

“No, on the contrary. It’s about the one I brought in...”

“What about it?”

“You have not noticed anything interesting, sire?”

SkekUng was confused. What did he need to notice? The height? The hair length? From what he could recall, it looked like an ordinary Gelfling - not too stocky or overweight. Although, to be honest, it was difficult to make observations behind the crowd trembling with excitement.

“Well, I wouldn't say I…” he averted his gaze.

“My Gelfling is a girl.”

Chamberlain’s intricate manner of speech always got on his nerves; this time was no different. SkekSil wriggled again and again, babbling, rattling about something, never getting to the point, like arathim tangling the net. Well, a girl and a girl, so what? He never managed to differentiate between the members of this miserable folk, unlike skekZok, who derived a whole classification based not only on clan and gender features, but some spiritual undertones and conversed on the matter with his innate snobbery, which frankly made the whole dialogue fly over skekUng’s head.

“So what?”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, we haven’t decided then what to do with her. However, an idea came to my mind...”

“To the point,” fingers rubbed the bridge of the nose tiredly.

“We could cut off its head right away, as our Cleric demands, we can give it to Scientist for experiments, to Ornamentalist or Gourmand for their creative projects, to Slave Master for... whatever he intended to do. However, as the one who found it, and has the greatest claim to it,” he watched with pleasure how the mercy gave way to anger on the Emperor's face. “I would suggest leaving it be.”

“Leaving it be?” startled, he repeated.

"Exactly. For you see, I managed to inspect this Gelfling. Not only is she a girl, but she also has blonde hair. She is of Vapra clan.”

SkekUng looked at him expectantly.

“It was the Vapra clan that has always been distinguished by its loyalty to the Skeksis values. As well as a more ... sophisticated look, compared to other clans, anyway.”

“More specifically.”

“All in good time, my Sire.” SkekSil barely could restrain himself not to speak through his teeth. The straightforwardness of the General, and now, unfortunately, the Emperor, never failed to irritate him: “I only wanted to say that it’s her clan that Al-Maudras tended to belong to.”

The ruler's snout twitched - he seems to have been catching up to his subordinate’s plan.

“Are you proposing giving them power to lead?”

“On the contrary. Reminding them of their true leaders.”

The idea was truly insane, but skeksis seemed to have found joy in it. Either that or he simply waited for any opportunity to ridicule his rival’s idea. After taking another sip and leaning on his elbow, he bared a row of blade-sharp teeth and let out a chuckle.

“Go on.”

“Imagine, my Emperor. A rascal knows of Skeksis’ greatness, yet breaks the rule, travels to the castle, intrudes! Horrendous irreverence! Punishment is required, execution even. But the Skeksis are gracious, we show it mercy. We grant the protection, lavishes, food and ask for nothing but devotion in return. To show dedication to the true way of Thra. To the way of Skeksis. It’ll get in its head – gelflings have lusted over garthic pleasures for thousands of trines. And it will be sure to tell others as well.”

“We don’t need the gelfling ambassador.” He gnarred. “No, no, enough.” His head shook as another shot was proposed.

“Yes, yes, have some more. Emperor must be tired.” skekSil poured the rest of the mead in his glass. “As I was saying… Not the ambassador. Think of it as a preacher. Or do you wish to take that role instead?”

SkekUng did not reply. No, he would not wish that, not even on his worst enemies. Unless Ritual Master could make a fatal error in the nearest future to deserve exile as a missionary.

“So, a sect.”

“Better. Faith.”

“Reunion is a dangerous path to take, skekSil.”

“Not if the common cause is the serve their Lords. Who tends for the Crystal? Who knows the ways of the stars? Who else can provide the serenity of body and spirit in this trying time? Besides,” his stare wandered to the empty dishes, “the war takes longer than expected.”

There was no denying that. Ever since the clans unleashed the long-accumulated fury on each other, Skeksis’ way of life experienced some… deficiencies. No Stonewood warrior could be trusted to guard the palace anymore, tithes went from scarce to nonexistent and the supplies of food… well, the bickering over scraps on the table became an annoying, yet inevitable routine.

“But…” he thought long, before replying. “The shard, skekSil. They know. Those scoundrels had a shard on them!”

“One would think that the opposition had to enter the castle any way other than the grand door. They _brought_ it to us.”

“What does it change?”

“Everything! My Emperor, they happened to find a shard and brought it directly to us. I heard them chatter in the plains. They do not comprehend its purpose. Now think about it. What does a commoner know? The Skeksis are gracious, mighty…”

“Powerful.”

“Godly. Maybe a bit secretive, absent, but all in good name of the Crystal. And the girl, she knows even less. She is reliant, easily manipulated. By Crystal, he’s the first gelfling she’s met! Tell her anything – she will believe it. Grant her the mercy for making her way to the castle and bringing the shard - she will be happy to oblige!” his throat ached now having spoken so loud.

“Giving the power to the gelfling that knows nothing of its kind…”

“A few facts and a couple of songs are easier to learn than deference.”

Alcohol seemed to have been getting the best of skekUng already – he knit his eyebrows, thinking the whole affair over, shook his head even but to no avail. Eyes were gradually turning blank and the impatience, although sedated for some time, started to boil again. SkekSil needed to make his case and quick.

“In the end of the day, you are the Emperor. You have Garthims, but their minds are molded exactly to your orders. The Podlings are quite easily controlled too. And Skeksis… well, the natural order commands so. But you need the folk to worship you, to comprehend your power over them,” he stood now unacceptably close, whispering ideas directly in monarch’s ear, but skekUng did not try to push him away, on the contrary - listened with bated breath. “Imagine a gelfling bending its knee before You. Recognizing Your strength, Your might. In its free will glorifying You. SkekSo,” he emphasized, purposefully omitting the title, “failed. But Thra is under new Emperor’s command now”.

It seemed to have worked. Immersed in his own thoughts and already quite intoxicated, skekUng closed his eyes and squinted, as if trying to resist a certain intrusive thought. Then he finally spoke:

“Make preparations and bring it to me.”

“As you wish.” Chamberlain bowed with overly amiable smile and hurried to the door.

***

The suns shone mercilessly. Another long summer - they have been getting longer and warmer with each passing year, to the point almost unbearable. Two tired gelflings sat under a colossal tree, its branches vast. One of them, a girl, gathered mushrooms for lunch around the roots and could have sworn she had heard the nearby bushes’ leaves rustle. Still casting quick glances in the direction from which the sound had come, she turned to her companion, who rested on the bed of flowers.

“So, what did they say?” girl finally asked, taking place next to him.

“What?”

“About the shard. Why do you have to bring it so far?”

“Well, I… it’s not like I have to! But I heard…” he staggered through words, a cute little habit of his. Are all the gelfling boys so cute?

“So, you don’t know?”

“No! Well, yes! I mean Aughra has said it. She showed it to the Mystics, spoke with my Master. I didn’t really listen, honestly. But it seemed important, in her words at least! She said she couldn’t bring it to the castle.

“Why?”

“I don’t know, but I thought, well, Jen, you have to show what you’re worth! Then I took the splinter and off I went!” the more words came out of his mouth, the less convincing his laid-back composure looked.

“Have you told Aughra?”

“I…” he paused.

“So, you stole it.”

“Well, no, listen. I borrowed it. She wanted to take the shard to the castle, right?”

Kira nodded, agreeing more to the phrasing, than the whole attitude.

“So, I will go to the castle instead of her! You should help the elders, shouldn’t you?”

“What are you trying to prove, Jen?” she smiled.

“I’m not trying to…” he blushed violently and shook his head in pursuit of hiding the rosiness from her keen eyes. Not that it ever worked.

“It’s okay, I know, I know. Rest well, the road is long.”

With that, she spared him of further embarrassment and went back to foraging.

**

Finding immense pleasure in emerged silence, skekSil smiled. Everything slowly fell into place. Gelfling, if not trusted him to the full extent, seemed perplexed.

“What is my role then?” she finally asked.

“Depends on the situation. Act like Al Maudra.” he noted, but the words still meant nothing. “Doesn’t matter now. Gelfling tired. Need to rest.”

The nightfall paced across the twilight sky. Two figures quietly plunged into the shadow of the hall and began their ascend to the very heart of the castle. All three Suns danced as crimson spots in the setting sky, hanging just barely over the horizon, as if not daring to dive beneath it. The light of one of them slid into the depths of the castle corridor and stroke Kira's face, leaving a warm goodbye kiss on her cheek. However, before she had time to smile back at her admirer, Skeksis led her forward.

Kira's room was not as pompous as the Lord's dwelling but quite remarkable, nonetheless. Much smaller in size, it still contained elements of luxury and charm of its own. Curtains and tapestries hung from the ceiling, like vines, and vaguely resembled a tent. Gelfling saw them only in childhood and from afar - there, according to the stories of her mother, nomads have lived and, although she never caught a glimpse of insides, her ‘yurt’ almost felt like a real one. On the right hand, a bed rose – much smaller than the Skeksis’ one, but sufficient to stretch all the limbs lavishly. In addition to the bed and a couple of nightstands, she also noticed a chest of drawers with a wardrobe and even a mirror - a huge rarity in her native lands. If Kira were familiar with the writing of her people, then at least she could determine whether the slogans on banners sparkled with gilding in her language, but without such skill, they seemed as strange as the rest of the castle.

“Room for a gelfling, mhmm. Gelflings used to stay, yes. Maudras and Al-Maudras. Skeksis invited.”

It came as a revelation to her.

“Gelflings stayed here?”

“Oh yes, ceremonial purposes. Gelflings _were_ most welcome.”

She nodded hesitantly.

“SkekSil goes. Much to do. Gelfling needs to rest, a long day awaits.” Chamberlain bowed and left.

As the keyhole rattled one last time, Kira was alone. Not that it felt different. Being the only one of her kin around Podlings, she accepted loneliness, succumbing to it. The future never promised much anyway. Work, food, sleep – an unbreachable cycle. Well, that was, until a gelfling boy burst into her life a couple of weeks ago. What else could she do?

How could she say no?

To think of it, in those last few weeks the idea to stop and think just once of consequences never visited her. Until now when the new rank was bestowed onto her and nothing familiar remained.

“Because to mercy there is a price of devotion.” She repeated trying to sound as profound, but the saying still made no sense.

Such a formality for a prayer? It wasn’t that. It couldn’t be.

A sudden thought rushed through her mind. To make sure, the hands patted the fabric, sneaked into pockets, beneath – nothing. She even tried to search the room, feel the carpets, climb on the bed.

The shard was gone.

She must have dropped it when they got circled. Was that it? Was the small piece of bland quartz the price of the salvation?

Jen was nowhere to be seen too. Did he not bring the shard as well? Did he not deserve the same honor as her?

As of now, Kira knew only two things for sure: that she did not understand anything anymore and that her body was about to collapse. On the last ounce of strength, weary feet carried her to bed where, not bothering to undress, she immediately fell into a deep sleep.

**

The next morning began with a light knock on the door.

“Gelfling, are you decent?”

“Y-Yes,” the girl answered and hurried to open the door. SkekSil, as expected.

“Slept well, mhmm? Good. Skeksis did not, was busy. Brought food,” the tray trembled in his paws.

Carefully taking over the heavy load, Kira lowered it onto the nearby table and sank into the chair next to it. Chamberlain, having made it through the narrow doorway, stepped into the room and followed her, reserving the bed for himself (the only furniture of adequate size). Still vigilant of his presence, she only allowed herself a slight nod, while lips folded into "thank you" without uttering a sound.

Among the food, one could definitely recognize nebrie milk and its cheese, a small bun, a handful of berries, a couple of eggs and a light soup. She never dreamed of having such a hearty breakfast even at the feast dedicated to the harvest, which, in truth, did not provide that much more than her usual porridge and tea.

“Well, Gelfling, it's a long day. Today we go to Ornamentalist, Ritual Master and Scroll-Keeper. Friends of skekSil they are, mhmm. Help with the preparations.”

“Preparations for what?” she asked, taking small sips from the bowl of soup. By Thra, it tasted delicious.

“Ah, how foolish of me. Gelfling will be crowned! Emperor himself brings the crown!”

“Coronation?” she tilted her head just slightly.

From the context and his tone, she could guess that it was supposed to be some kind of celebration in her honor – they had them back in the village, whenever the new leader emerged. Yet, gelfling’s smile got only wider and sillier, prompting him into giving a proper response.

“Ah, the coronation! The Emperor himself recognizes Gelfling! Great honor! Gelfling will become Al Maudra.”

Again, his words had nothing of substance. She had to inquire further.

“Sir Chamberlain, I am greatly thankful for your offer. And I am most happy to take it. However, I fear, I do not understand. There are plentiful of gelflings elsewhere, I suppose. The ones that did not break the taboo.” She moved closer, her tone no longer casual.

“You are not of gelflings, are you?” he asked suddenly.

“Well, not really, my Lord. I never grew up around them. But I was taught that one should not bother the Lords.”

“You were taught well. The Skeksis care not, from where the gelfling came, they care for the way. Lords know and see all. And appreciate gelflings, who are true to the cause. We speak more later, but now, please, eat.”

Kira once again complied, sensing the strange tranquility within.

Skeksis did not rush her, looking around serenely. At the same time, his hands firmly grabbed each other, and only the index finger tapping on the back of his palm at equal intervals could indicate the real mood of the adviser.

After yesterday's intense meal, her stomach still ached, so Kira tried to eat measuredly, and since Chamberlain did not urge her on, she could afford herself a breathing pause, in which her wandering stare went back to the odd gestures of his.

The meal was soon finished, and the pair headed towards their first target.

The room definitely belonged to another Lord but the similarities between it and the one of vizier’s ended on the obligatory decor elements. Here, namely in the lair of Ornamentalist, utter chaos reigned. Podlings darted below, carrying commodities, but scrambled and disappeared, before Kira could call out to any of them. However, she did not take her eyes off them, watching the exhausted servants with pity.

Various types of fabrics, leather, furs and feathers crowded in piles on all kinds of surfaces, except for the floor, forming meter high heaps without any visible order to them, and shimmered with all possible and impossible colors. Goods, as if of their own inanimate will, moved and rearranged themselves, raging in fierce waves in the closed walls, and it seemed that after each change of ‘current’, the room transformed as well.

In the center of this discord, the slim figure stood – another Skeksis, and to Kira’s surprise, even more grotesque.

“SkekEkt, what an honor.” skekSil reached for their hand.

“The audacity, skekSil!” the creature exclaimed. Yet the palm did not move an inch, until Chamberlain pecked it admiringly, earning a light chuckle. “Alright-alright, now, show it to me.”

Kira felt a sudden push forward.

“Mhm,” biting their nail, Lord circled the guest. “You know, maybe this time I should add a vail to the front as well.”

“No need to. Your beauty is incontestable. And the dress will do just marvelous.”

“You are flattering me, Chamberlain.”

“Yours and your only,” he dropped a curtsy, making sure to show off his gown.

In the meantime, Kira felt her face, quite puzzled. Was something wrong with it? Or… on the contrary? Could the Lord find her features remarkable enough to go as far as to envy?

Suddenly, the pair of hands stretched an elastic string around her waistline and bust, taking measurements abruptly as if they were to be licked by the flames of bonfire.

“I wonder what skekUng was thinking.”

“One of his many wills, apparently.”

“And skekZok? What was his reaction? I saw him leaving the imperial quarters earlier. You should have seen him!” SkekEkt’s tongue clicked as they turned to the mannequin. Occasionally, fingers thumbed through the papers on the table, venturing down the messy cursive lines, and back to the main workplace, whenever Ornamentalist found something of use.

“Well, Ritual Master should be happy. He wished that the gelflings were more _faithful_ , now he can practice his sermonizing.”

At this they both laughed.

“Do others speak of it?”

“Everyone! Oh, how I missed this!” the feathers on skekEkt’s gown ruffled in excitement like their own would. “SkekAyuk prepares the banquet already and skekNa lent his working hand to assist. But to be quite frank, I’m not sure if inviting Sif-” there skekEkt pursed their lips, looking directly at skekSil. However, when Kira tried to track back the glance, Chamberlain’s facial expression exhibited no change. “Anyway, when is the ceremony?”

“If everything goes as planned, on the new moon.”

“Then I’ll do my best,” SkekEkt grinned. “Now go and come see me when you’re available, I cannot wait to hear what Zok said! And, for Crystal's sake, come alone, with this wind I can’t open the windows!”

“I am forever grateful and I will. And for your support ...”

At that moment, the fingers carefully pried a small pouch from a pocket in his robe and lowered it somewhere among the patterns. Ornamentalist did not answer as they went back to work, though their mouth noticeably twitched in a faint smile.

Chamberlain bowed down again and, having finished with the pleasantries, dragged Kira away.

The next was a visit to skekOk - the local “bibliographer”.

“SkekOk, my dear,” SkekSil saluted him by pressing hand to the chest. Kira repeated after.

This time the path led them to a large hall. There were no couches nor coffee tables. Instead, rows of cabinets with contents unknown to her rose along the walls. From the shelves, various artifacts and stacks of yellowed papers, left by the world to gather mold, breathed dust on the guests. Still, most of the archive remained a mystery to her.

“Gelfling, really…”

Unlike Ornamentalist, SkekOk did not hesitate to raise her face by the chin, carefully studying the features, as if the eyelevel could tell him something of value.

“That's right, my friend.”

“Al-Maudra too ... Ah, I remember the times when the brightest were chosen for this role ...”

“All as you say it,” SkekSil shook his head in agreement, but without the same enthusiasm, as if he was burdened by some ... Irritation? Skeksis was hard to blame – Scroll-Keeper's manner of speech trembled with peculiarity, namely, ordinary laziness. He deliberately stretched the sentences and recited them, as if producing another word was a waste of his brilliant mind.

“Why did His Excellency choose her, anyway? You, if I remember correctly, mentioned her inability to write. Not too uncommon to make a fuss about a certain specimen, if you ask me.”

“But look at the hair, the complexion, my friend!”

SkekOk stepped closer to her, meticulously adjusting all pairs of glasses on his nose. It took him a squint and a few corrections before the overly long beak broke into a smile and he let out a blissful sigh.

“Vapra! The real one!”

“Living sample.”

“Yes, yes, well, Vapra is my favorite clan, you know. They are smart, their gaze says it all, not like Stonewood, bah!” the archivist babbled. “You don’t have to look in the eyes of those.”

“You are right as always.”

Having little experience with other gelflings, Kira could not argue with that. And the prospect of having some intellectual advantages over others did please her.

“And the Emperor wants me and Ritual Master to partake?”

“He’d be most satisfied.”

“Well, perhaps this is not such a bad idea,” skekOk grinned contentedly. “I could give her a couple of private lessons. Gelfling, can we handle it?”

Kira was lost for a moment, not expecting that even the meagerest attention would be paid to her presence.

"Exactly so... my Lord," it flew almost instinctively off her tongue as she bowed.

"’My Lord’! And a curtsy! Did you teach her that?”

“No, all on her own.”

“Marvelous, she really does have something to her!”

She felt… ambiguous. Skeksis, albeit divine, presented themselves as a bizarre folk with or without the benefit of a doubt. Yet, their divinity did imbue the soft remarks with a special meaning that her starved mind most welcomed, in spite of all suspicions. 

“Regarding the award…” the fabrics of the suit rustled.

“Oh, not necessarily, my friend, I will, so to speak, be glad to contribute to such a significant event for Thra,” skekOk snickered, but his gaze remained the same - piercing, studying.

Now only the Ritual Master remained.


End file.
